Roller blind

ABSTRACT

A roller blind having in the external cylindrical surface of a roller a depression that extends essentially over the entire width of the roller in the form of a channel. Inserted into the channel is a carrier which is fastened on one end to the roller by a pivoting cover. The carrier is narrower than the channel, as a result of which it has space for lateral displacements. The carrier has a groove with a slot. The roller blind makes it possible to easily and correctly straighten the blind fabric.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] This invention relates to a roller blind having a roller, a fastening device to fasten an upper edge of a blind fabric to the roller, and an actuator device to wind and unwind the fabric on the roller.

[0003] 2. Brief Description of the Prior Art

[0004] One problem with conventional roller blinds is that when they are pulled up, the blind portion is not wound on the roller straight, i.e. parallel to the axis, and the next time the blind is let down, it unwinds diagonally. On narrow or short roller blinds this problem is less serious than on very long blinds, of the type that are used, for example, on large windowed facades of office and industrial buildings. It is a very difficult and time-consuming process to straighten the blind, especially with the above-mentioned long blinds. In most cases, it is necessary to take down the entire blind and then to put it up again. It frequently takes several tries to get the blind to roll up straight, i.e. parallel to the axis, and the process generally has to be done by at least two people.

[0005] Swiss Patent No. 678,644 describes a roller blind on which the blind is detachably fastened to a roller by means of a Velcro fastener so that one strip of the Velcro fastener is on the upper edge of the blind fabric and the other strip is located in a depression in the surface of the roller. In this manner, it becomes possible to prevent the formation of a bulge, which results among other things in an uneven winding and unwinding of the blind. Nevertheless, if a displacement of the blind fabric has occurred, the blind fabric plus the roller must be taken down, the entire Velcro fastening unfastened, re-fastened and the roller with the blind must then be reattached to the ceiling or the wall. This type of fastening is also unsuitable for use with long and heavy blinds.

[0006] The object of the invention is to create a fastening for a roller blind of the type described above that eliminates the problems described above, and can nevertheless be manufactured economically, and with which even very long and heavy blinds can be easily oriented parallel to their axes. The invention teaches that this object can be achieved by the features of the invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] According to the invention, a roller blind has a roller and a fastening device to fasten an upper edge of a blind fabric to the roller. An actuator device is provided to wind and unwind the fabric on the roller. The fastening device has a carrier for the fabric that is mounted so that it can pivot in the periphery of the roller and the fabric is fastened to the carrier.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] One exemplary embodiment of the invention is explained in greater detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0009]FIG. 1a is a view in perspective of a blind rolled up straight, i.e. parallel to the axis, and fastened to a building wall;

[0010]FIG. 1b is a view in perspective of a blind that is rolled up crooked and fastened to a building wall;

[0011]FIG. 2 is a view of a roller of a roller blind;

[0012]FIGS. 3a-c show the carrier that is used to fasten and orient the blind in different positions in the channel of the roller, in cross section;

[0013]FIGS. 4a-c are views of a roller in which the carrier is in the center position, and also displaced to the left and to the right in the channel;

[0014]FIG. 5 is a section through a fastening device;

[0015]FIG. 6a is a view in perspective of a roller with a carrier in the center position;

[0016]FIG. 6b is a three-dimensional view of a roller with a blind rolled up crooked; and

[0017]FIG. 6c shows a roller with the blind rolled up correctly, i.e. parallel to the axis.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] A blind fabric 2 is connected with a roller 3, for example, by a rod 5 which is inserted into a carrier 6 located in a channel 7 of the roller 3. The carrier 6 is connected in a hinged manner on one end 6′ with a cover 11 that covers the roller 3 on the side, and on the other end 6″ is connected non-rotationally with a bearing 14, whereby irregularities in the winding or unwinding of the fabric 1 can be compensated by rotating the cover 11 (FIG. 5).

[0019] The roller blind 1 illustrated in FIGS. 1a and 1 b is installed in front of a window 12 by two brackets 8 fastened to the building ceiling 9. The roller 3 is mounted in the brackets 8 on one side by a bearing 15 that can rotate on a shaft 3 a and on the other side by a bearing 14 that can rotate on a drive mechanism 16 which is driven by a bead chain 4 (see also FIG. 5). The blind fabric 2 can be rolled and unrolled on the roller 3 in the known manner. A weighting bar 10 is attached to the lower end of the blind fabric 2. The blind fabric 2 can be rolled up and down with an endless bead chain 4 by the drive mechanism 16 that is located in the roller 3 through a sprocket wheel 13. A journal 16 a of the drive mechanism 16 is non-rotationally connected with the cup-shaped bearing 14. The manual drive mechanism 4 can also be replaced by a motor-driven mechanism.

[0020] The roller 3 illustrated in FIG. 2 is preferably made of aluminum. A channel 7 extends over the entire width of the external cylindrical surface of the roller 3. Inserted into this channel 7 is the carrier 6, the width of which is somewhat less than the width of the channel 7 (see also FIGS. 3a-3 c). The carrier 6 has a central groove 6 a with a slot 6 b and two arms 6 c which have a C-shaped cross section on their ends. As a result of its smaller size, the carrier 6 can be pivoted to a limited extent clockwise or counterclockwise in the channel 7. FIGS. 3a-3 c show the carrier 6 in the central position and in its two extreme pivoted positions.

[0021] Fastened to the upper end of the blind fabric 2 is a rod 5 which can be sewn into the blind fabric 2. This rod 5 extends over essentially the entire length of the upper edge 2 a of the fabric 2. To fasten the blind fabric 2 to the roller 3, the rod 5 is introduced with the fabric 2 fastened to it into the slot 6 b of the groove 6 a of the carrier 6, for example, by inserting it from the side. The roller 3, as illustrated in FIG. 5, is connected on its one end with the bearing 15 and on the other end with the non-rotational bearing 14. The carrier 6 is mounted in the cover 11 so that as a result of the rotation of the cover 11 in the counterclockwise direction (see arrow in FIG. 4b), or in the clockwise direction (arrow in FIG. 4c), the carrier pivots relative to the roller 3 and can be held in the position into which it has been moved.

[0022] If the blind fabric 2, as shown in FIG. 5, is fastened to the roller 3, the roller 3 and the blind fabric 2 can be rotated by the bead chain 4 around the shaft 3 a and the fabric 2 can be wound up. If the fabric 2 does not wind up evenly across its width, i.e. not parallel to the axis (see FIG. 6b), the fabric 2 will also be crooked the next time it is let down. To straighten the fabric 2, the cover 11 is rotated, as a result of which the carrier 6 in the channel 7 is pivoted in one of the directions indicated by the double arrow in FIG. 6c, but with its other end 6″ remaining in the original position. As a result of this pivoting movement of the carrier 6, the blind fabric 2 of the roller blind 1 can be oriented exactly parallel to the axis, so that the fabric 2 hangs vertically.

[0023] One significant advantage of the invention is that to straighten the fabric 2, the fabric is left on the roller 3 and need not be completely removed, as with conventional roller blinds. Moreover, the roller blind claimed by the invention is particularly well suited for blinds that use very long and heavy fabrics, of the type used in rooms with high ceilings. When the blind needs to be straightened, the operator does not have to support the entire weight of the fabric 2, which is important with regard to the safety of the task. The fabric 2 could even be safely straightened while the operator is standing on a ladder.

[0024] It is to be understood that the invention may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A roller blind with a roller, a fastening device to fasten an upper edge of a blind fabric to the roller, and an actuator device to wind and unwind the fabric on the roller, wherein the fastening device has a carrier for the fabric that is mounted so that it can pivot in the periphery of the roller and the fabric is fastened to the carrier.
 2. The roller blind as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the carrier has a central trough with a slot and two arms.
 3. The roller blind as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the arms of the carrier are C-shaped on their ends.
 4. The roller blind as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the roller has a channel which extends essentially over the entire width of the external cylindrical surface and parallel to the axis of the roller.
 5. The roller blind as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the blind fabric is introduced into the carrier.
 6. The roller blind as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the blind fabric has a reinforcement on its upper edge.
 7. The roller blind as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the width of the arms of the carrier is smaller than the width of the channel.
 8. The roller blind as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the carrier can be pivoted clockwise or counterclockwise around one of its ends by a cover.
 9. The roller blind as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the actuator device has a drive mechanism and a sprocket wheel.
 10. The roller blind as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the drive mechanism is non-rotationally connected with the roller by the sprocket wheel and the drive mechanism.
 11. The roller blind as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a second end of the carrier is mounted in a cover.
 12. The roller blind as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the roller has a channel which extends essentially over the entire width of the external cylindrical surface and parallel to the axis of the roller.
 13. The roller blind as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the roller has a channel which extends essentially over the entire width of the external cylindrical surface and parallel to the axis of the roller.
 14. The roller blind as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the blind fabric is introduced into the carrier.
 15. The roller blind as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the blind fabric is introduced into the carrier.
 16. The roller blind as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the blind fabric is introduced into the carrier.
 17. The roller blind as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the blind fabric has a reinforcement on its upper edge.
 18. The roller blind as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the blind fabric has a reinforcement on its upper edge.
 19. The roller blind as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the blind fabric has a reinforcement on its upper edge.
 20. The roller blind as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the blind fabric has a reinforcement on its upper edge in the form of a rod that is introduced into a slot of the carrier. 